Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you.
We have come together to worship God and to thank him for journeying with us through the year. We have come from our fields and gardens to give thanks for the harvest of our land, and to ask for his continued blessing on the work of our hands.Amen.
Lord, direct our thoughts, help us to pray, and lift up our hearts to worship you in Spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Spirit of God fills the whole world: Come, let us worship!
Hymn 58 Bunessan
Morning has broken like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for them springing fresh from the world.
Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning,
Born of the one light Eden saw play.
Praise with elation, praise ev’ry morning,
God’s recreation of the new day.
Penitence
If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1.8,9
Let us confess our failings to God our loving and forgiving Father.
O God, our loving Father in heaven, we confess that we have sinned against you; we have broken your commandments; we have often been selfish, and we have not loved you as we should. For these, and all our sins, forgive us, we pray; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Absolution
In the name of Jesus I declare to you: you are forgiven; your sins are gone.
Be strong in the Holy Spirit, and live for God. Amen.
Acclamation
Let us come before God with thanksgiving,
And sing to him joyfully in psalms.
For he tends the earth and waters it.
He makes it rich and fertile.
Lord of the harvest, all is yours,
The rains that fall, the suns that shine,
The seed once hidden in the ground,
The skill that makes the harvest grow.
Our thanks we bring to you this day
New praises from our lips shall sound.
Behind the loaf is the snowy flour,
And behind the flour, the mill.
And behind the mill is the wheat and the sun
And the rain and the Creator’s will.
Teach us our God and King
In all things thee to see,
And what we do in anything
To do it as for thee.
Collect
Eternal God, you crown the year with your goodness
and give us the fruits of the earth in their season:
Grant that we may use them to your glory,
for the relief of those in need and for our own well-being;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A reading from the book of the prophet Joel.
Fields, don’t be afraid, but be joyful and glad because of all the Lord has done for you. Animals, don’t be afraid. The pastures are green; the trees bear their fruit, and there are plenty of figs and grapes.
Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice at what the Lord your God has done for you. He has given you the right amount of autumn rain; he has poured down the winter rain for you and the spring rain as before. The threshing places will be full of corn; the pits beside the presses will overflow with wine and olive oil. I will give you back what you lost in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops. It was I who sent this army against you. Now you will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied. You will praise the Lord your God, who has done wonderful things for you. My people will never be despised again. Then Israel you will know that I am among you, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. My people will never be despised again.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Joel 2: 21-27
Hymn 25 All things bright
All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
he made their glowing colours,
he made their tiny wings. Refrain
The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset, and the morning
that brightens up the sky. Refrain
The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden,
he made them every one. Refrain
He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well. Refrain
A reading from the Gospel according to St Matthew.
Jesus said “This is why I tell you not to be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds? Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?
“And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not ever King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. It is God who clothes the wild grass – grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burnt up in the oven. Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? How little faith you have!
“So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? Or my drink? Or my clothes? (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God Matthew 6:25-33
An Act of Thanksgiving to the Creator of the Earth
For the soil
We thank you for the soil of our fields and gardens, symbol of all that you have made.
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.
For the fruits of the earth
We thank you for the harvest of our fields and of our gardens,
symbols of our work in partnership with the environment.
Yet we know we shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
For the seeds of the future
We thank you for the seeds for next year’s planting,
symbol of your promise, to provide our daily bread.
They sow fields and plant vineyards which give them fruitful harvest.
He blesses them and they multiply greatly.
For pure water
We thank you for water, symbol of our dependence upon you for our life,
symbol of the new life you give us in baptism.
God will sprinkle clear water over you.
We shall be cleansed from all that defiles us.
For gifts of bread and wine
We thank you for bread and for wine, symbols of our use of your gifts to your Church,
symbols of our spiritual food, the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood.
Everything in heaven and earth is yours.
All things come from you, and of your own do we give you.
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, with our thanksgiving, we ask your pardon for the times when we have failed to be good stewards of your gifts, and we ask you to bless and make fruitful our desire, to dedicate our work and our lives to your praise and glory. Amen.
Affirmation of Faith
Do you believe and trust in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in God the Son?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
This is the faith of the Church.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayers
As we pray, may we thank God for his abundant goodness to us, throughout the year.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we give you thanks and praise for all the gifts you have given us, for our life and the world in which we live,
Father, we give you thanks and praise.
For the work we are able to do, for the truth we are permitted to learn, for the good there has been in our lives,
Father, we give you thanks and praise.
For the order and constancy of nature, for the beauty and bounty of the world, for day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest,
Father, we give you thanks and praise.
For the boundless store of harvest, for the fruits of the earth to sustain and gladden life,
Father, we give you thanks and praise.
For the industry and perseverance of those who work on our farms, for those who shape the farmer’s tools and build machines, for those who, by their skill and labour have helped to supply our food,
Father, we give you thanks and praise.
For the comforts of life, for our homes and their joys, for our city of Dublin and its community life,
Father, we give you thanks and praise.
Knowing that our heavenly Father is listening, in the silence of our hearts let us share our own unspoken prayers with him.
Silence. For our communion with you, Father of all, for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, for his life and his death, for his resurrection and ascension, for his redemption of all creation, for the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
We give you thanks and praise, Lord God, our heavenly Father. Amen.
A General Collect
Heavenly Father,
in darkness and in light,
in trouble or in joy,
help us to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We sum up our prayers and praises in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn (and collection) 47 Wir pflügen
We plough the fields, and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God’s almighty hand;
he sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain.
Refrain:
All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above,
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for all his love.
He only is the maker
of all things near and far;
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star;
the winds and waves obey him,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us, his children,
he gives our daily bread. Refrain
We thank you, then, O Father,
for all things bright and good,
the seed time and the harvest,
our life, our health, and food;
accept the gifts we offer,
for all your love imparts,
and that which you most welcome,
our humble, thankful hearts. Refrain
Lord Jesus Christ, you emptied yourself, taking the form of a servant.
Through your love, make us servants of one another.
Lord Jesus Christ, for our sake you became poor.
May our lives and gifts enrich the life of your world.
Be with us Lord, as we go out into the world.
May the lips that have sung your praises always speak the truth;
may the ears that have heard your Word listen only to what is good;
and may our lives as well as our worship
be always pleasing in your sight,
for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing
The peace of God, which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord:
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be with you and remain with you always. Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Hymn 36 Tyrol
Written by Catherine MacSorley of St Peter’s Church Aungier Street, where she told the father of Irene Hayes of St Audoen’s Church, that in verse three she had in mind the window boxes of the old houses in York St, between St Peter’s and St Stephen’s Green
We thank you, God our Father,
for all your loving care;
we thank you that you made
the world so very bright and fair.
We thank you for the sunshine,
and for the pleasant showers;
and we thank you, God our Father,
we thank you for the flowers.
Out in the sunny meadows
and in the woodlands cool,
and under every hedgerow
and by each reedy pool,
and on the lonely moorland,
and by the broad highway;
with colours bright, so pure and fresh,
they spring up every day.
And in the dusty city,
where busy crowds pass by,
and where the tall dark houses
stand up and hide the sky;
and where through lanes and alleys
no pleasant breezes blow,
dear God our Father, even there
you make the flowers grow.
And whether in the city
or in the fields they dwell;
always the same sweet message
the sweet young flowers tell.
For they are all so wonderful,
they show your power abroad;
and they are all so beautiful,
they tell your love, O God.
